1986 PSAC Women's Basketball Championship W1 Slippery Rock February 28 Slippery Rock, 86-71 E2 West Chester February 25 West Chester, 64-58 E3 Bloomsburg March 1 Slippery Rock, 74-58 W2 Lock Haven 1985-86 Champion February 25 Lock Haven, 76-69 W3 Indiana February 28 East Stroudsburg, 87-84 OT E1 East Stroudsburg Men’s and Women’s Basketball Report – March 6, 1986 Cheyney and Slippery Rock have been crowned the 1986 champions among Pennsylvania Conference men’s and women’s basketball teams. In men’s action, the Wolves of coach Charlie Songster finished in a tie for the top spot in the Eastern Division with Millersville, but after a first round 79-71 win over Mansfield, defeated the Marauders 62-60 to advance to the championship game opposite Western Division king Edinboro. The Fighting Scots had reached the title contest with a 61-57 triumph over Indiana (PA) in the division. The latter used a 66-50 win at the expense of Clarion to earn the right to meet Edinboro. Cheyney downed Edinboro 90-67 for the crown. Cheyney’s title was its first since 1983 and 15th since championship play was introduced in the conference in 1961. Edinboro, under coach Jim Sims, made its first showing in the PC final since 1976. The Wolves, along with Edinboro and Millersville, were gained in the NCAA Division II Championship Tournament. For the women of Slippery Rock, it was their first title since the playoff format was adopted in 1980. The Rockets of Kath Richey Walton scored a 74-58 win over East Stroudsburg in the championship game. Slippery Rock defeated West Chester 86-71 in one of the semifinal games while East Stroudsburg used an 87-84 victory in overtime, downing Lock Haven, to reach the contest. In preliminary playoff action within the divisions, West Chester scored a 64-58 win over Bloomsburg and Lock Haven beat Indiana (PA) 76-69. Slippery Rock had appeared in the first four conference championship games staged, however, each time lost to powerful Cheyney, which is no longer eligible for conference playoff action due to its NCAA Division I status. The runnerup finish by the Warriors of East Stroudsburg was their second straight second place showing as they fell to Lock Haven in the 1985 finale. Slippery Rock moves into the NCAA Division II Championship Tournament this week. During the 1985-86 campaign, Lock Haven was the top offensive team in men’s play averaging 78.5 points per game while champion Slippery Rock topped the women at 75.2 p.p.g. Millersville was the men’s top defensive unit, allowing 62.5 p.p.g., and West Chester led the women’s defensive category giving up 63.1 p.p.g. The top shooting teams in men’s and women’s play were Millersville and Mansfield (50.5%) and Kutztown (45.2%) from the field while Lock Haven and East Stroudsburg led at the foul line, hitting 72.5% and 69.3% of their free throws. Individually, West Chester’s Steve Patton and Diane Walker of Slippery Rock were the top scorers, averaging 20.2 p.p.g. and 24.0 p.p.g. respectively. Ron Barnett of Cheyney was the men’s leading rebounder at 12.5 rebounds per game and the Wolves’ Debbie Thomas led the women’s rebounders at 13.3/game. John Fox of Millersville was the top shooter from the field for the men at 60.9% and Celeste Ross of Kutztown hit 54.9% of her shots to lead the women. A pair of West Chester performers were the top foul shooters as Mark Caprarola and Cecelia ROdden made 91.4% and 78.8% respectively